Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Ronnie Earle apparently needed to go through no less than three different grand juries in order to bring about this latest indictment against Tom DeLay. Apparently, the indictment handed down last week was for campaign law infractions that weren't even infractions during the time when the alleged actions took place. This latest charge of "money laundering" was dismissed by a prior grand jury, saying that there was not enough evidence to warrant further litigation. Earle reportedly presented this latest attempt to a grand jury who had just been sworn in, and had been unaware that it was already rejected by a previous grand jury. DeLay's attorney was on the Hannity Radio Show, and explained that it was

1. Definitely legal for Texas Corporations to give to political parties and political organizations (but not to specific candidates).

2. TRMPAC received money from corporations in excess of what it was able to spend. TRMPAC forwarded that money to the national RNC

3. The RNC then spent money on candidates in other states who were not bound by the same restraints as candidates in Texas.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there are puppeteers in the national DNC who are pulling a willing Earle's strings as a means of literally attempting to handcuff an effective Senate leader (at least in terms of fundraising). At the same time, when these spurious charges see the light of day, the DNC can simply keep their hands clean and distance themselves from otherwise obvious treachery. The longer they can drag these spurious charges and continue to throw mud in an effort to see if anything sticks to the wall, the longer they can render DeLay personna non grata in the power structure of the Senate. And if they can smear some mud on the RNC in the process, all the better.

Now is the time for the RNC to circle their wagons around DeLay, as it is becoming patently obvious that he (and the Party) are being played for patsys in this insidious witch hunt.

***UPDATE***

The folks at Powerline give us this "damning" evidence of Earle's DeLay's guilt

A Texas prosecutor tried to convince a grand jury that Representative Tom DeLay gave tacit approval to a series of laundered campaign contributions, and when jurors declined to indict, he became angry, according to two people directly familiar with the proceeding.

The two people interviewed, who commented anonymously because of grand jury secrecy, said Travis County prosecutor Ronnie Earle became visibly angry when the grand jurors last week signed a document declining to indict, known as a ''no bill."

One person said the sole evidence Earle presented was a DeLay interview with the prosecutor, in which DeLay said he was generally aware of activities of his associates. He is charged in an alleged money- laundering scheme to funnel corporate donations to Texas legislative candidates in violation of state law.

The person said that Earle tried to convince the jurors that if DeLay ''didn't say 'Stop it,' he gave his tacit approval."

After the grand jurors declined to go forward, the mood ''was unpleasant," the other person said, describing Earle's reaction.